It was two and a half days later. The shop was finally reopened and the newsies were getting ready to set out on their rescue mission. Racetrack was ready to haggle, Mush, Jack and Blink were to pick the lock and Spot was going to be standing by with his pal Whistler, ready to haul in the reinforcments in case anything went wrong. Jamie and Mouse were sitting this one out.

"Ready to go," Blink asked Jack, who was thumbing a small peice of metal, bent to form a clip.

"Yeah," Jack said, he stood up and gathered his things. No mistakes this time.

---

They approached the pharmacy from the side, careful not to step into the owners line of vision. Racetrack went ahead, walking casualy into the store. The newsies waited a minute and then ran over to the cellar. Jack looked up. He could see Spot, leaning against an alley wall next to his pal, watching the action closely.

Mush, Blink and Jack began to pick at the lock. It was harder then they'd thought it would be. It was old and rusty. At the moment, their metal clips were succeeding in scraping off bits of rust but not much else.

"Damn, this is taking too long," Blink said worridly.

"Keep trying," urged Mush. They scraped at the locked some more but their picks were just not the right shape to penetrate the ancient lock.

From inside the cellar Switch and Star could hear the scraping.

"What the hell is that?" Star asked.

"He's back," Switch said coldly.

"No, I don't think so," Star said, getting up. She walked over to the locked door tried to peek through the thin holes in the wood, "Hello?" she questioned sofly. The scraping stopped for a moment.

"Star?"

Star smiled and felt tears well up in her eyes. It was Mush.

"It's Mush!" she called over to Switch, "we're getting outa here!"

At Mush's name, Switch felt a small bubble of red fury pop in his stomach, but the prospect of escaping this dank prison overpowered it. Switch ran over to the door.

"It's an old lock, you'll need the key!" he called out.

Outside, the three newsies heard the muffled advice.

"Damn!" Jack swore.

"I've got an idea," Blink said. He stood up and looked over in Spot's direction. Spot nodded, showing that he saw Blink. Blink held his hands up in the air and made a movement like unlocking a door while mouthing the word: Key.

Spot looked confused for a moment but then nodded again. He put his mouth to Whistler's ear and Blink saw his whisper for a moment and then Whistler gave Blink a thumbs up. He disapeared down the alley for a moment and then returned with a tall, very well toned Brooklyn newsie with a peice of straw in his mouth. The two of them headed across the street and into the pharmacy.

All they newsies around the cellar could do was wait.

About five minuted later, Whistler and the tall boy came running around the corner. A key was thrust into Blink's outstretched hand.

"You'd betta hurry," the tall newsie said in a thick scottish accent, "it t'was sittin on his desk, he's bound ta notice it,"

Blink nodded and in one swift motion, put the key into the lock, rotated it and pulled open the heavy doors.

Right there at the entrance was Star. Mush grabbed her gently but firmly by the wrists and hauled her out. Pulling her close he kissed her head, her forehead, he lips, her cheeks. Anywhere he could. Star wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back.

Jack and Blink helped Switch out and without wasting anymore time they took off running back to Spot's fort.

---

It had been about two weeks since the rescue and so far the pharmacy man didn't seem to be looking for them. Everything was pretty much back to the way it used to be... minus the lodging house of course. Life went on, everyone (including Mouse) was back to selling and everybody was happy.

Except for Switch.

Switch had slipped his deepest ever into his brooding, anti-social, rude, cynical depression and rarely talked to anyone. Star had seemed to have conveniently forgotten that one evening in the celler and Switch hated her for it. He still longed for her, but now it was mixed with a burning hatred. With them all sharing one small room he was forced to watch the way Mush hugged her and kissed her ever so politely.

One evening, as the newsies piled one by one into the fort, Switch decided he wouldn't put up with this anymore. He had to do somthing... even if it only released his anger and nothing more. The last two in were Star and Mush. They walked over, hand in hand, to a pile of boxes and sat down, ready to start a conversation with the other newsies, leaving Switchtoinclude himselfas usual. Switch, however, was the first to speak.

"Tisk," he said, his voice dripping with more malice then usual, "when are you going to be up front and honest Star? When?"

Star looked at him for a moment, confusion clouding her eyes, but in a moment she registered what he was reffering to and she stammerd.

"What do- what are you talking about?" she asked innocently. By now all the other newsies had stopped what they were doing and were focusing on the tension running between Switch and Star.

"You know what I mean you little bitch," he said, hatred pillowing every word.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Mush said forcefully.

"Don't get involved Mush," Switch said dangerously.

"Piss off!" Star shot, "You're getting us involved!"

"WELL MAYBE YOU SHOULN'T HAVE FUCKED ME THEN!" Switch roared. He stood up quickly and walked quickly out of the fort, leaving the others in a shocked silence.

"What?" Mush turned to Star. There was the faintest trace of genuine hurt in his voice.

"Mush... please," Star said bringing her hand to Mush's cheek. For the first time in his life, Mush pushed her away, "Mush!" Star begged. But Mush moved away further. He stood up, embarrassed and hurt and left the fort as well.

"You... and Switch?" Jamie asked, her mouth very nearly hanging open in amazment.

Star was too ashamed to acknowlegde the question.

"When?" Spot asked.

Star just shook her head and began to cry.

"How was it?" Jamie asked a broad smile on her face.

"Jamie!" several newsies hissed at once.

"If you wanna be a god damn slut, go somewhere else!" Race said. Jamie looked offended but didn't make any move to leave.

"Star," Mouse asked softly.

Star looked up at the delicate brunette. Mouse gave her the tiniest of understanding smiles and then put her arm around her friend and led her out of the fort.

"Holy shit," Blink said, after they'd gone.

"Yeah..." Jack said.

"Man, Star's been places with Switch she ain't even been with Mush." Racetrack said, a suddenly discusted look coming over his face.

"Someone should go look for the poor kid," Jack said. Blink stood up at once.

Jack turned to the few newsies left in the room. Somehow... he didn't feel like talking anymore.

---

Star sat along on one of the many Brooklyn docks. She and Mouse had just sat for the longest time, but now Mouse had gone back and Star was sitting alone with her thoughts. Her feelings. Her regrets. She wished it would rain. That way, if anybody walked by (not that that was likely) they wouldn't know she was crying rivers. She was embarrassed. So, so embarrassed. She felt dirty. And angry. Angry at herself, angry at Switch. Mostly at Switch. It was easier to be mad at someone other then yourself.

To add insult to injury, who should walk by at that particular moment but Switch himself. Star glared at him until he noticed her sitting there.

"You are the biggest asshole I've ever met," Star said throught tears. Switch stopped walking and turned to face her.

"You came on to me, remember?" he said slyly.

"Oh please, as if you havn't been 'coming on' to me for the past month!" she cried. Switch's jaw twitched. He took a few steps forward.

"It's not my fault you're a lying whore," he said through clenched teeth.

Star slapped him.

Switch exploded.

He grabbed her around the neck and drove her into a pile of crates beside them.

"Bitch!" he hissed. Star tried to struggle free but Switch was too strong. He pulled her back a little bit and then slammed her into the crates again. Star cried out in pain, "I'm going to make you feel physically, what you make me feel mentally!"

Star tried to scream but his grip on her throught tightened threateningly. She spat in his face and once again tried to pry his fingers off of her.

Enraged, Switch lifted Star off the ground, choking her even more. Star gasped for breathe. She kicked her legs wildy, landing one good blow to Switch's family jewels. Switch doubled up in pain, dropping Star. Breathing in big gulps of air, Star tried to get up and run but Switch grabbed her ankel and pulled her back to the ground next to him.

"Fucking whore!" He spat. It was obvious Switch was still in unsurmountable pain but he lifted himself up until he was sitting over Star. Star slapped him across the face again.

"Serves you right you bastard!" She choked out, her throat was very sore. Switch hit her. Hard. She let out a little cry as she felt her cheek boil. She made a move to punch at Switch again but Switch pinned her arm down, laying his full 175 pounds of muscle on her.

"Get off!" Star cried, she willed herself not to cry. She had to be strong here.

"Really? That's not what you said last time?" Switch picked her back up off the ground and once again, slammed her bruised body into the crates.

Star let the tears come. She couldn't hold them back any longer. To her astonishment, Switch was crying slightly as well.

"What-?" Star started to ask but Switch cut her off by pounding his body against hers.

"Don't you pity me! Don't ever pity me for anything! Ever!" He ground his hips into hers, making her cry out in a mixture of pain and unwanted pleasure.

Star was giving up. Switch was too strong, too rough. She couldn't fight him off, even if she'd been in prime physical condition to begin with. Just when Star thought Switch might realize he'd gotten the better of her, someone or somthing rammed into his side, knocking him off the dock and into the water.

Star looked over the edge to see Mush and Switch trying to kill each other in the cold, black river.

"Stoppit!" Star tried to shout but her voice got caught in her throat.

Mush had Switch in a head lock sort of deal and Switch was busy clawing at Mush's muscular stomach with his finger nails. There was a lot of swearing going on between the two boys but nothing really distinguishable.

Star tried to yell again but still her voice didn't seem to be functioning. The two boys were slowly submerging as they continued to fight.

"Mush!" Star managed to cry out. She collapsed to her knees and cried, watching the scene before her.

After some wild splashing and a few seconds under water, Mush came up... without Switch. He dragged himself towards the bank and then Star could see that he was also dragging an unconsious Switch. Mush threw him roughly against the cold mud and hauled himself onto the dock, where he collapsed, panting.

Star didn't know what to do. Should she move over to him? Stay where she was? She didn't know. She didn't know and it was killing her. She decided to take a chance. She inched painfully over to where Mush lay and tendly ran a hand over the bleeding scratch marks on Mush's abdomin.

"Would you kindly not touch me please," Mush asked quietly. There were tears in his eyes. Star recoiled instantly.

"I'm sorry," she said, tears streaming down her face.

"You... you had sex with that asshole..." Mush said, a few tears escaping down his cheek.

"I don't know what happened! But the first thing I thought about when it was over was you, I swear!" Star tried to put her arm around Mush. Mush pushed her away.

"So if I went around, doing every girl I could, it'd be ok as long as I said that I thought about you after!" Mush said, hurt.

"No, that's not what I meant!" Star said, sobbing.

Mush stood up.

"Where are you going?" Star asked, wiping away more tears.

"Back to the fort," Mush said plainly.

"What about him," Star said, pointing to Switch. She regretted saying it after by the pained look on Mush's face.

"As far as I'm concerned, he can stay there," Mush said, hate flickered in his big brown eyes.

Star swallowed, "And me?" she asked, bracing herself.

Mush looked at her for a second. He was dripping wet and shivering.

"I did what any decent guy would do, what you do now if none of my business," he said, his voice catching as he said the last few words. He turned around and left.

Star burst out crying. Pounding the dock with her hands until they were red and stinging. She cried and cried. She pulled herself to her feet and slumped back towards the fort. She looked once over her shoulder at Switch. She thought she saw him move slighty so she quickened her pace but then slowed down again. The way she saw it, if he tried to kill her... then they'd both win.

Her and Switch both.

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Thanks guys! To everyone who reviewed, not just the one's I post! THANKS!

P.S. I used Whistler Garen! Maybe not in the same context as your story but he's in there!

ecHo1899:
aww poor mush. but i think i like switch a little better then mush. i don't know why...
this was really good! can't wait for the other chapters to come!

Garen Ruy Maxwell:
Wow. The plot just keeps getting thicker. Wonder what Mush'll do when/if he finds out.

SCandCK1899:
This is seriously good! Switch and Star in a cellar together...kissing! OO! Mush is going to be upset! UPDATE SOON! please!
Deah